I went into this movie expecting a strange experience, and I was certainly not disappointed. The Truman Show explores one of the most interesting premises ever conceived: what if someone's entire life was a simulation made for TV? It's so bizarre but done in such a grounded way that it really makes you feel for Truman, and by the end of the movie I was uncomfortable for both him and myself. It's almost a horror film in how it fills you with a strange sense of paranoia. Excellent idea, excellent execution, and deep enough to keep you thinking for a long time afterwards.
This movie is a cliché story about a kid finding a monster and trying to convince all the adults that it's a nice monster. The outcome is predictable and the story is fairly overused.
It's also my favorite movie of all time.
I first watched this movie when I was eleven years old and since then have seen it literally dozens of times, and I still watch it at least twice a year. I'm a sucker for the "making peace with alien creatures" trope and this movie does it better than nearly any other story that has attempted it. This movie is full of heart from start to finish, and it paid off in every way.
First, there's the dragon himself. Toothless is a perfect character in this movie. This changes in the later films when he becomes a mascot rather than the focus, but I digress. It's clear through the interactions Hiccup has with him that he's not just an animal in the process of being tamed, but a curious creature who is trying to figure out Hiccup in the same way Hiccup is trying to figure out Toothless. This makes their bond develop naturally in both directions, rather than feeling too quick or convenient. The most impressive aspect to me is that he's not anthropomorphized at all. Most creatures you're supposed to like are given human traits in order to make them more relatable, which I hate because why on earth would a creature vastly different from us act in a human way? Toothless does have a lot in common with dogs and cats, but he's certainly better than most "relatable" fantasy creatures. Toothless is the standard I hold and compare all intelligent creatures in stories to. Unfortunately it's rare that they come close.
Toothless isn't the only character I adore in this movie, as every character this movie chooses to focus on are fantastic. Stoik is amazing in this movie, acting as an antagonistic force while still feeling like a truly caring father who only wants what's best for his son. Hiccup himself is very likeable, one could say he's too perfect despite everyone saying otherwise but he's put in enough situations where his "Gary Stu"ness doesn't matter that I barely notice.
Now let's talk about the one part that I have issues with, the ending. The ending serves exactly the purpose it wanted, but it's that very purpose that I take issue with. The fact that the dragons were invading because of some big bad that you can pin all the blame on is much too simple in my opinion. I know this is a movie with limited run time and it's targeted towards children, but think of how much more interesting it would be if the dragons simply didn't know any better and it took a collaborative effort between the humans and dragons to make peace with each other? That would have made for a much more interesting second movie/TV series then the ones we got. Again, kind of a personal thing so it doesn't lower my score, but thought it was worth mentioning anyway.
So while I understand why other people don't care much for this movie or even call it bad or unimpressive, it has left a major impact on my life and even defined it in many ways. As a result I cannot in good faith give it any less than a 10/10.
Prepare yourselves, this is a long one. I spent too much time thinking about a kid's movie.
I'm going to be honest, I don't understand the love for this movie. I know I've given it a high rating, but that's because this entire trilogy means a lot to me personally. However, this is easily the weakest film in the trilogy for me. The story never really gets to hit its stride the way it does in the first because there are too many plot significant events happening at the same time. This makes the themes and messages of the movie weak at best and contradictory at worst.
Drago is an interesting villain in concept, being a character that Hiccup will not be able to change, but in practice it just made him a generic Sir Villain McBadguy with nothing interesting about him other than his intimidating screams that somehow manage to control even Leviathan class dragons .
Toothless. Look how they massacred my boy. The intelligent, curious creature I fell in love with has been replaced with a cute mascot with no personality of his own save for like 2 four second scenes. He acts in such a goofy, doglike manner all the time that it made 14 year old me (at the time) cringe. He's domesticated, I get that, but even when he KILLS HIS FRIEND'S FATHER there is no introspection on his part. Just Hiccup telling him it wasn't his fault and moving on like nothing happened. Why was it Toothless who did it if the writers weren't going to do anything with it? Luckily they returned him to form later in the third movie but that does not rectify the issues here.
Meanwhile we have the whole thing with Hiccup's parents, and I for the life of me cannot understand the purpose of Hiccup's mother. She does not aid in Hiccup's character development at all. She basically acts as an explanation as to why Hiccup is the way he is (which no one asked for) and someone Hiccup can relate to when he's separated from everyone else. The most significant function she serves is to made Stoik's death more impactful, as he finds his love again as a changed person only to die quickly afterward. Not that that's emphasized, this movie can't choose a character to focus on and as a result I can't feel for any of them.
So, let's talk about Hiccup. Hiccup's character arc in summary goes as follows: "I like exploring and don't want to be chief, I want to be a peacekeeper." Later: "Man, the world does not want me to be a peacekeeper or explorer, better do what my parents want me to and just protect my own." This is even expanded upon in the third movie when he has to abandon all the dragons for the sake of not being hunted all the time. I like the idea of him having to accept that's he's going to be Chief, but I think breaking all of his ideals is a bit much, although potentially realistic in a sense.
TL;DR: Not great but still a solid movie.
The How To Train Your Dragon Trilogy holds a place in my life that helped define who I am. Suffice to say, having now grown up somewhat I was eagerly anticipating this film, and did not expect it to be as emotionally impactful as it was. There are many criticisms of this movie, many of which are valid, like it really doesn't make any sense why they would leave all the dragons. Like, no one cared enough to want to keep theirs? Did they forget that their goal was literally to move in to the Hidden world with the dragons?! . Despite these things, this movie helped me get through a rough time in my life, where I felt my childhood slipping away and being replaced with a dreary emptiness, and this movie helped me to cope with those changes. So while nothing can top the first film, this one definitely deserves a place in my favorite trilogy of all time.
This episode surpasses every episode of everything else I've ever seen. There will simply be nothing of its type ever again that will even come close to the perfect balance of darkness, drama, and intensity I have just witnesses. It takes common ideas of shows like this and twists them to become infinitely more impactful both physically and emotionally for the characters. How can the story progress from here?
After watching Schafrillas Productions video on this film I was convinced to give this movie a second chance, and let's just say it's way better than people seem to think it is. This movie, unlike the third, has real heart and soul, a message it wants to get across and it does so brilliantly. The villain was fun, the alternate universe was cliche but intentionally so, and Shrek gets his most interesting character arc since the second film. I unironically consider this movie incredible and comparable to other Dreamworks classics like How to Train Your Dragon and Kung Fu Panda.
This is easily the best episode I've seen of anything ever, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and I have never truly questioned whether or not someone would die the way I did in this episode. Gon felt truly out of control and I wondered if he would go into a full on muerderous breakdown. Every aspect of the episode, from the soundtrack, visuals, and voice acting, came together into an episode so good I was in a daze after it ended. I truly don't think there will be a way to top this episode in my book, no matter what show it is.
An enjoyable movie nearly all the way through, though I thought the ending was rather rushed and weak. Was really hoping the kid would turn out to be a human after all.
It's been several months since I have watched this show, and yet it's always in the back of my mind. There's no better way to describe this show in my opinion other than art. The later seasons provide so much in terms of themes and abstract ideas that I found myself pondering each episode long after I watched it. This is not a show for everyone, as the plot goes all over the place, and the early seasons can turn a lot of people off or create false expectations later on, but this show really leaves an impact on you if you're willing to think about it.
This is an awesome list, it helps me find what to watch on Youtube!
I really liked this first season, it reminds me a lot of Death Note with how it feels like a game with the stakes being lives. Each episode created new developments and by the end of the season I was breathless. The characters were likable enough that I genuinely cared about their safety, which is crucial for a show like this. My biggest complaint would be that not a whole lot goes on in terms of animation. Not saying the animation's bad, it's quite good, but as it's mostly dialogue based there's not much happening on screen. A must watch if you like big brain strategies or being way too stressed out over the outcome of a fictional scenario.
EDIT: I stand by the fact that the first season is a masterpiece, but don't watch the second season. I have never seen a show be ruined so quickly firsthand, though I've heard legend of such things. Only watch season two to see how NOT to continue a show, and read the manga instead.
After hearing about how great this show was, I was a bit disappointed. It's by no means bad, but it didn't feel special in any meaningful way. We follow an overpowered protagonist who plans to take over the world with his band of faithful minions, most of which are more intelligent than him, not that he would tell them that. There are lots of side characters that give us a perspective on just how much the protagonist is affecting the world, and while some of these characters are interesting, others are not. I'd recommend it if you want a good fantasy, not so much for a good story.
This was another good season of a decent anime. The Overhaul arc had some great character moments, though it could be argued that it went on for too long. The festival was much more enjoyable than I was expecting it to be, and La Brava is the best villain in the entire series.
As the successor to Avatar, I feel like many people had their hopes up that it would be the greatest thing ever. This is not the case, and that's OK. The characters tend to fluctuate in their quality, sometimes seeming to develop one way, only to then change in another way. This gives the show a teenage drama-esque feel to it that some may appreciate and others loathe.
The villains are representative of flaws in society, from oppression to too much governmental control vs. too little. That being said the issues the villains bring up are never really resolved. The biggest offender of this is season two when the political conflict is completely forgotten to instead focus on giant spirit laser beams .
So while I still think this is a good show in its own right, its definitely no Avatar. But who can top perfection?
I'd hesitate to call this show an action anime as its real appeal is in its mystery. The first season bombastically introduces us to the world of Attack on Titan, where everyone is boxed in to protect themselves from giant mysterious monsters. As the story continues in the later seasons, the story matures like fine wine, answering mysteries while bringing up new ones in a completely believable fashion. The plot twists in this show are so well done that re watching is basically a must as you get an entirely new feeling after knowing what is actually going on behind the scenes.
This cartoon is leagues above any other western animation I have ever seen. It appeals to both children and adults, as its story is not only simple to follow, but also extremely good. Each character is unique and endearing, and their interactions with each other are even more so. The plot flows perfectly, each story beat hitting its mark and culminating in an epic finale. This is a show that people are still talking about over ten years after its original release, and I think they still will be for many years to come, Netflix adaptation notwithstanding.
"If I'm just a normal person and you were beat by me, then what does that make you?"
This has to be my favorite anime of all time, and Mob has to be my favorite character ever. Mob is a boy with incredibly overpowered psychic powers, but he would rather develop himself as a person than rely on his powers for everything. This is the core message of the story, and one I felt like I needed. Mob doesn't want to be defined by an overwhelming strength in one aspect of life, but rather how he is in every facet of reality.
If anyone were to ask me what anime they should watch first, I'd tell them Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood every time. It's got something in it for everyone, action, drama, intense and detailed plot, great characters, it's easier to think of things it has than what it doesn't. Both the English dub and the subtitled Japanese version are great performances. This is definitely a must watch for anyone who wants to call themselves an anime fan.
This is a fun little show that helps expand the How to Train Your Dragon Universe. I don't think it's a must watch for fans by any means, but if you're obsessed with the movies like I am these make a good companion. I do think it's a bit disappointing that this show could have been more but wasn't, the animation isn't all that good, and the story is nothing special, but I still think it's passable.
A short, well structured cartoon that respectfully deals with topics rarely seen in children's media. Tulip is a refreshingly unique main character and the mystery surrounding the train kept me watching to the end. Can't wait for the next season!
EDIT: Each and every season the show keeps getting better! The last episode of Season 3 had the DARKEST scene I've ever witnessed in a show with a PG rating. My only criticism is that the humor isn't great, but this definitely isn't a comedy anyway. Still highly recommend for any age as the topics it covers are universally relatable.
A slow paced show which will require a lot of recap skipping as time goes on. Do I recommend it? Absolutely. This show isn't long because it resets every few episodes like a sitcom or poorly written adventure (Pokemon). Rather it relishes in long-term storytelling, slowly building up the world and characters to the point where you can believe even the craziest of things are realistic in-universe. This show has made me audibly gasp, cry, laugh, and all-round enjoy myself too many times for me to say I wasted my time watching it.
